Second Floor

Places of Interest

• Defense Against the Dark Arts office (belonging at various times to Lockhart, Lupin, Moody, and Umbridge)
• The swiveling staircase
• A hidden staircase that rises two floors and includes a trick step
• Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom and the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets
• Slughorn’s office – Down a hallway from the room where Snape tries to give Malfoy advice

Note: numbers are added to indicate possible classrooms but those rooms are not further identified.

Events

The second floor girl’s toilet was the location of Hermione’s first Polyjuice-making. But that’s the least of the excitement the room has seen; Tom Riddle’s possessed diary changed hands there, Myrtle died there, and Mrs. Norris had an unpleasant encounter with the Basilisk. On the other side of the castle, Slughorn was accustomed to holding extravagant parties. Harry followed Draco and Snape out of one of these events, and overheard them arguing.

Secrets and Spells

To open the Chamber of Secrets, say “Open!” to the broken tap in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom.

The size of Slughorn’s office makes Harry wonder whether the teacher had enlarged it to contain so many guests.

Near the Defense office is a staircase concealed by a tapestry. It provides an easy shortcut, which the students use to get to the Gryffindor tower. Unfortunately, it has a vanishing step that Neville never fails to forget.